Catch Her When She Falls
by drewsapaloosa
Summary: SLIGHTLY AU. Liberty Van Zandt has been lusting after JT since she's known him.


I thudded my pencil lightly against my desk, feeling senseless and lost in the lecture. My glasses slid achingly slow down the bridge of my nose, I sighed - what I thought was quiet - but actually quite loud. Heads turned around in the class, and it was if my sighing interrupted something. I looked down and stopped drumming my pencil, feeling the eyes fall off me. Our teacher continued to drawl in her monotone voice before I felt a finger jabbing into my back.

"Pssssssssssssss-" It was JT. Of course. Causing a scene, as usual.

I whipped my head back and turned around in my seat, glaring at him. He gaped at my irritated expression. I didn't want to get in trouble, that's all. "Need something?" I snapped, then feeling a bit guilty after.

The brown-eyed boy rolled his eyes before me and shook his head. "Well not any_more_, _thanks._" He told me, his voice prissy and sour. He crossed his scrawny arms over his torso and stretched backwards. JT joined back into his previous sitting position and looked at me, raising his eyebrows. "Just kidding," He teased. He was always _just kidding._ Then he poked me with his pencil, over and over. My eyes widened.

"Seriously, JT. Cut it out. Now what do you need?"

"I need a date to the dance. Now, my majesty," He stopped poking me, because I finally grabbed his pencil. He raised his eyebrows further and pursed his lips, pretending to be all prince-like. I sighed and felt the lameness just radiating off of him. JT took my closest hand in his, and kissed it while the teacher's back was to us. "Would you care to be mine for Friday evening?"

"_God,_ JT." I muttered. His facial features appeared to be curling into a worried expression. Like I'd say no. In my earlier years I had always been lusting over him, it was just ridiculous. But after spending so much time together, it finally feels like I have something really, really close to me that I don't want to lose. And it _apparently_, _hopefully,_ doesn't want to lose me. I scratched my chin, pretending to even think about it. Before I smiled my toothiest smile and told him yes.

He began to sputter like a maniac, before I finally silenced him and turned around to face the front. It appeared that everyone had been watching us the entire time. Everyone except the teacher, of course. I bit my lip, feeling my cheeks grow warm. JT threw his arms up with pride, nodding and pointing at me. I heard Toby in the back telling him "Good job" or "Heck yeah", something boyish along those lines.

I hear Manny and Emma whispering, but it didn't matter. JT and I would be attending the dance together. I would show up in a beautiful dress, accompagnied by JT Yorke.

_Liberty Van Zandt, age 15, with glorious and luscious brown, curly locks of hair flowing behind her. She enters the gymnasium with escort: JT Yorke. Modeling a wonderful purple dress, outshining every other girl in the room. _I could hear it now, ringing in my ears.

My dress would be perfect, and I already knew what one to wear. One that had been hanging in my closet, that I bought a while back for a wedding. Of course, the wedding never happened, so I never got to wear it.

And then I was brought back to reality for a short few moments. "No homework tonight, but please review..." Our teacher continued. When the second hand hit the 12, I'd be buzzing out of the room to go home and try on my dress. Imagining myself in it. Standing hand in hand with JT Yorke. His arms around my waist, mine around his neck. Something I've been wanting for so long.

XXX

When I got home, I couldn't wipe the really awful grin off my face. I slouched off my backpack and hurried upstairs into my bathroom. Rummaging through all the drawers and cabinets, I found two different types of mascara. Which one I would wear, well I didn't know. I _never_ used make up. But I wanted to look nice. I wanted to be better for Friday. For once and for all, I wanted to win over JT.

I withdrew the mascara brush-type-thinger from it's cap and I was immediately puzzled. Where does it go? Obviously on your eyelashes, but... how? I tried a few different techniques and eventually stopped. Five minutes later I was wiping down my entire face with hot water, a bar of soap and a cloth. This was just not working. It was too troubling, I _could_ get some tips from Manny later on. Nonetheless, I still had to throw out the cloth I had used. It was all mucked up with black gunk. Not very smart of me. I chucked the face-towel in the trash bin and exited the bathroom.

I made my way downstairs where our computer sat, in the corner of our living room. My mom was busily baking something for her charity bingo nights, so she wouldn't necessarily be hovering over me as I typed.

_Google Search Engine: How to put on makeup._

I felt ridiculous, embarrassed, and everything that goes along with that. Just as I pressed enter, a chat window popped up. JT Yorke, messaging me. This was just too cliche and perfect for a girl like me. I didn't know what to do. I almost felt like throwing up. In a good way, though.

**TOBY EATS ORPHANS:** _Hey, Liberty. :)_

I quickly racked my brain for something nice to say. Something cool, collect, calm...

**Liberty:** _Hi, JT. _

**TOBY EATS ORPHANS:** _Do you want to do something before the dance? _

**Liberty:** _Like what?_

God, I was bad at this. I was so emotionless, awful, boring...

**TOBY EATS ORPHANS: **_I don't know... maybe we could hang out with Emma and them. Unless you just want to come over or something._

**Liberty: **_Well, JT. Maybe. I'll definitely think about it. :) But that sounds really good._

**TOBY EATS ORPHANS: **_Doesn't it? Well. Alright. Gotta go. Math homework. Not that I'm going to do it. Toby's over. Gotta make sure he does it right... Anyway, bye, Lib._

**TOBY EATS ORPHANS is offline.**

My heart pounded and after he was offline, I scrolled up and down reading our conversation. Over, and over, and over, and over... Until it just got too sappy for my eyes to take. _And_, he called me _"Lib"_. No one has ever, ever called me that. I can't even pick up what has been happening this entire day. I almost didn't go to school today, I unfortunately had a sore throat in the morning. What if I hadn't. None of this would have happened.

I felt like someone was watching over me. Or looking out for me. Screaming: YOU'RE WELCOME, LIBERTY. Whoever you are, thank you.


End file.
